CHAIN REACTION
visitors into paying customers. Above all else they recognise the huge importance of investing in online marketing, as well as the need to evolve and redevelop when necessary to ensure that their ecommerce website delivers a high return on investment. For most, getting to grips with selling online is a daunting prospect. In reality, with the right help, advice and expertise it’s a great deal easier and friendlier than you may think. Above all else you must be committed, simply going online because you feel you ought to have a website will more than likely end in a fall. Providing your customers with a fantastic ‘shopping’ experience is where it’s at. This doesn’t necessarily mean flashy animation and wacky graphics, but an online shop that’s easy for your customers to find the products they’re looking for, engaging and informative content, a fast checkout procedure, and the provision for your customers to be able to contact you easily and quickly, perhaps by way of live chat tools. Ecommerce solutions that are capable of
Ecommerce gold In August 201 1 a report by the London School of Economics (LSE) found that
cycling is worth over £2.9 billion to the UK economy, with almost a quarter of the population getting on their bikes. Dave Lomax of Sitemakers discusses the importance of online in today’s retail environment...
“Simply going online because you feel you ought to have a website will end in a fall, commitment is needed...” Dave Lomax, Sitemakers
IN RECENT years a combination of factors including record fuel prices at the pumps, cycle to work schemes, and a concerted effort by national and local government to improve the provision of cycle routes has resulted in a boom in those participating in cycling. Correspondingly the improvement in high
speed broadband in the UK combined with an increase in mobile devices is bringing about yet another surge in online shopping. Now over 25 per cent of all retail sales are taken online and this figure is rapidly increasing. Retailers are fast looking to the internet in
the face of struggling high streets stores. For many, such as Wiggle and Chain Reaction Cycles, both originally independent bike retailers, the web has provided a unique opportunity where they compete on equal terms with businesses many times their size. Those that have successfully diversified online combine the latest in user engagement and functionality to help effectively turn website
10 BIKEBIZ AUGUST
Lomax: “From a commercial perspective, the cycle industry lends itself incredibly well to online shopping.”
growing with your business, provide you with your own unique design, an intuitive administration system and ongoing technical support can easily cost many thousands of pounds. However this kind of investment is, on the whole, significantly lower than the costs of opening and running a bricks and mortar outlet. What’s more, growth is without doubt more abundant than it currently is on our High Streets. From a purely commercial perspective, the cycle industry lends itself incredibly well to online shopping. As a social activity it has huge scope for social media marketing, it has a deeply loyal following, and provides a host of opportunities in the way of specialising in particular sectors, be it cycle fashion, safety gear or perhaps concentrating on particular brands. Recent moves by the Government including
nearly £11 million allocated in April this year targeted at helping school children to learn how to cycle safely and confidently on our roads promise a bright and prosperous future for UK retailers.
This summer the British Olympic Cycle team
have their sights firmly fixed on improving on their haul of eight gold medals from the Beijing games. The likes of Sir Chris Hoy, Mark Cavendish and Shanaze Reade will undoubtedly inspire the next generation already used to a digital environment, and primed as your future paying customers. For more information and advice on
successfully opening an online shop, or to request a free no obligation appraisal of an existing ecommerce website call 020 7099 1002 or alternatively visit our website.
www.sitemakers.co.uk
BIKEBIZ.COM
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